Are Flip-Flops Dangerous?

At least, that's the headline conclusion of a couple CNN.com articles on wearing thong sandals — one of the most basic and ubiquitous forms of footwear worn (and enjoyed) worldwide by virtually everyone regardless of your culture or socio-economic status.

But really, are flip-flops dangerous? Read on!

First, allow me to present the CNN articles on flip-flops. Note the linked bits are the headlines and the blockquotes are selected bits and pieces from the articles:

According to the National Foot Health Assessment 2012 released in June, 78% of adults 21 and older have experienced one or more foot problems in their lives.

One common culprit of America's foot pain, especially during the summer, is the flip-flop.

Whether it be on the beach, at the grocery store or even in the office, people love to free their feet. But flat sandals are nothing but bad news, says Bob Thompson, executive director for the Institute for Preventive Foot Health, who doesn't own a single pair.

"There's no heel support and structural support ... on that little slab of rubber." ...

Although feet were designed to walk barefoot on Earth's natural surfaces (grass, sand or gravel), they were not prepared to endure the concrete, asphalt and steel that covers so many landscapes today, Thompson said. These unmovable surfaces are harsh on bare feet, and the thin rubber sole of many flip-flops does little to adequately absorb the shock they produce.

Whether you are standing still or in motion, your feet are your first point of contact with the ground. The way your feet are positioned provides the foundation for the body's skeletal alignment. A flat shoe provides little arch or lateral support and even slight shifts in stance over time could lead to misalignment, causing pain in the knees, hips and back.

"Everything in your body starts with how you strike your heel to the ground," Thompson said.

"If you wear them all the time, they aren't good for you," says Dr. Kathya Zinszer, associate professor of podiatric medicine and director of community outreach at Temple's School of Podiatric Medicine. "They are terrible for the arches. They give you no support and they don't protect your feet."

"I'm not totally against flip-flops," she says, "but they can be dangerous."

This is the kind of authoritative news being fed to John Q. Public on footwear.

My inner skeptic goes haywire when I read articles containing fearful quotes ("dangerous!") by authorities. And in these two instances, the usual suspects include podiatrists (A bad word in the barefoot community) and the Institute for Preventative Foot Health (Near as I can tell from reading about the "IPFH", having healthy feet simply requires padded socks — perhaps those made by IPFH founder and sponsor Thorlo). I also don't buy the old stand-by argument that man-made surfaces are more dangerous or harmful than natural surfaces line.

I'll withhold picking apart either of these articles* other than to say that they're each jumbled messes of confusing and conflicting information — but one thing is clear: they've got headlines that are pretty damning of flip-flops. So what's the straight dirt on flip-flops: are they dangerous? What are the pros and cons? From where I sit, it's a mixed bag:

Flip-Flops Cons:

Many flip-flops can be fairly stiff soled. This can reduce the range of motion of the foot. It also will put pressure on the top of your foot at the instep where the flip-flop straps put pressure against your foot when you walk.

Without anything in the back to keep the rear sole of the flip-flop from staying close to your foot, it tends to hang in the back and drag on the ground.

To reduce the chance of your flops falling off and to minimize the aforementioned dangling sole (at the heel), people tend to grasp the front of the flip-flop. This isn't a natural motion — typically your toes point to the sky (dorsiflex) when you walk. This is probably one of the biggest problems with flip-flops because prolonged wear will reprogram your foot to do this grasping thing with every step. Since this would be a bad way to walk barefoot (likely resulting in stubbed toes), well, it's a consideration in opting to wear flip-flops.

You can't really run in flip-flops very well and you certainly can't run in them naturally.

Note that I don't mention as negatives things like "lack of arch support" or the fact that they are flat and typically lacking in a lot of cushion (though there are certainly plenty of foam-soled flops with a fairly plush ride).

Flip-Flops Pros:

They're dirt cheap and pretty minimalist. I can't call flip-flops "minimalist" or "barefoot" in the "minimalist/barefoot shoes" sense because they alter natural bio-mechanics in non-significant ways (The toe grasping thing really seems like an issue to me).

Without much sole, you get fairly good contact with the ground. The lack of support and cushioning encourage a lighter step. In the second article above, this reference jumped out at me: "[Flip-flops] can help with arthritic joints. A recent study conducted at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, found people who had arthritic knees had less stress on their joints wearing flip-flops than other types of shoes." What the what?

They're super airy! Feet like to breath like the rest of your skin.

They aren't supportive — mostly. There are some fairly overbuilt, heavy, and arch-support/toe-springy flip-flops or thongs out there, so this certainly doesn't go for all flip-flops.

They let your toes splay. No toe box means unconstrained toes.

They're crazy easy to put on and take off. Who doesn't love this aspect of flip-flops?

I have a number of pairs of flip flops but I never wear them, anymore. For one, I don't like that they tend to reprogram my toes (neuroplastics!) to flex and grasp downward (rather than dorsiflex) when I walk. These days I tend to avoid footwear that gets in the way of natural bio-mechanics. And to me, that's the end-all be-all reason not to wear flip-flop.

So are flip-flops dangerous?

Are flip-flops a risk to your health because they may alter you gait and the specifics of how you walk? I don't think so (What do you think?). I think the more important question is: are flip-flops at all healthy for your feet?

I tend to think I they are. I think for the majority of human beings, flip-flops are probably a good choice relative to supportive, toe-constricting, heel-elevating mainstream/traditional footwear. That's because they get you closer to the ground, let your feet breath, let your toes splay, and don't provide a ton of support. My hunch is that all of this will tend to make your feet stronger. From this perspective, flip-flops might be compared to Nike Frees and Reebok Realflexes — better options relative to the more built-up sneakers of recent history.

So that's my take. Flip-flops aren't dangerous. They're not ideal, but for many, they're a good thing.

And don't believe everything you read in the press!

Extra credit:the NPD study sponsored by the IPFH that indicates "78% of adults have experienced one or more foot problems in their lives" is a worthwhile 10 minute skimming — most notably that 78% figure is down 10% from the last time they ran the study in 2009 (so there's been a significant decline in reported foot problems), something CNN failed to note. It also has figures about various foot ailments split between men and women with women reporting the bulk of foot issues (is this a surprise given the types of footwear available to women so often include pointy toe boxes and high heels?)

* I also realize that any good news source is going to spin a yarn and take quotes out of context, so there's something a little backwards about cherry-picking statements and quotes from So-and-so of the Such-and-such Institute and then blasting them on the blogosphere. Not that I've never done that before, I'm just sayin'!

About the Author — I founded BirthdayShoes.com in April 2009 on realizing just how much I enjoyed having "free feet" - I mostly wanted to use them for weights, sprints, and plyometrics (I'm not much of a runner!). I'm a Googler by day and minimalist footwear aficionado by night; you can find me 'round Atlanta. If you want to catch up with what I'm doing outside of the site here, follow me on twitter @bdayshoes or @justinno or check out my personal site JustinOwings.com.Justin+ has written 896 articles and 426 comments.

32 comments

Flip-flops are actually WORSE than bare feet. But so is pretty much every other kind of shoe. It's incorrect to say that bare feet are not equipped to handle concrete or other hard surfaces. They can handle pretty much anything given enough preparation and time spend uncovered to allow the skin to thicken and toughen.

Shoes take this away, and so do flipflops. The lack of ankle support is a red herring. Bare feet do not need ankle support. But if you're wearing flipflops the foot movement is restricted and you don't use all the independent muscles and bones to their full effect. In fact you find yourself using muscles in your feet almost exclusively to keep the flipflop on your foot rather than to walk efficiently and healthily.

Pretty much every shoe has its own problem. That almost always includes the hygiene issue of allowing sweat and warmth to build up and feed microbes which is unhealthy, but also the prevention of the natural development of the foot - not just the thickness of the sole, but also the strength of the muscles and foot structure that unhindered would allow a person to walk or run quickly and efficiently over any surface, including man-made pavements and with little or no regard for little stones, or even the odd bit of broken glass.

So-called "barefoot shoes" - a moronically nonsensical term - have plenty of problems, including the hygiene one, and the toughening of the skin. They also have the issue of heat dissipation. The feet can generate a lot of heat when working hard, and most of it is released through the sole. When barefoot, the air circulation can carry this heat away which is an enormous mental liberation while exercising. If this heat does not escape it becomes mentally and physically very draining.

Finally, the other problem common to all shoes, (because all shoes cover the soles) is the decrease in sensitivity limits a person from using information about the ground to find the most efficient steps. Cushioning which cuts off useful information for balance leads to a "one size fits all" approach denying a person to exploit feedback from the ground and their contact with it.

It is a nonsense to say that desensitisation is a good thing. It might seem that way to someone thinking from a shoe-wearing point of view. You might think that going barefoot is always painful, based on the experience of going barefoot for the first time without having the opportunity to develop your feet properly. What you find is that once you have built up your feet properly what might once have been experienced as a painful sensation, is simply manifested as information about what is there. It's analogous to coming out of a dark room and experiencing daylight. To the unacclimatised eyes it's a painful blinding light. To everyone else it's the normal daylight that we take for granted.

So by all means criticise flip-flops. But don't you dare suggest that their problems related to being close to going barefoot. And absolutely do not suggest that shoes such as vibram five fingers, which most certainly are SHOES and nothing like going barefoot are ideal either.

Sorry but in the hot summers and at the beach I'll continue to wear my flip flops. It gets too hot sometimes to wear my VFF's. I love them both and will continue to wear them. I am barefoot 24/7 aroibd my house even through the winter so it makes up for it. I'll keep my 9 pairs of flip flops thank you.

Hail the (good) flip-flop! I'm a true original equipment manufacturer barefoot runner at home that uses VFF See Yas when traveling or Altra Instincts on some UT mountain trails, but I live in flip flops most summer days. I've found that Crocs makes a superb flip flop in terms of cushioning (good in my view for rapid paced walking on paved surfaces when I stride out and thus heel strike), toe splay, and the lack of a need to grip with your toes as described in this article. My major gripe is the "drop" of all Crocs but so little in life is perfect.

Barefoot has its own issues. Totally impractical in the extreme heat or cold. No protection against sharp objects. Your feet get really dirty. And, of course, many places of business will not admit you. As someone living in a major modern city, barefoot is simply not practical and not going to happen, whatever the theoretical benefits. We can wring our hands about that, or we can find a suitable shoe that doesn't have too many compromises. I'd rather do the latter.

As for flip flops, I've never been a fan. I just don't find them that comfortable. And the strap digging into the top of the foot seems like it can't be a good thing.

you know, there's more than just flip flops...if you REALLY CAN"T go barefoot/wear minimal footwear, there are sandals with a strap across the foot which doesn't mess with your foot, unless the strap cramps the pinky, that's why i have a pair that go across the top of the foot, but that's only when i get lazy and just move a couple feet outside if for some reason or have to go to the store real quick and they won't let me go barefoot...

lol as an asian man who grew up in asia, flip flops are our everday foot wear for generations. no wonder podiatrist are rare in asia. very rare. flip flops are our casual foot wear and leave it outside when u enter someone's home and go barefoot. seriously that article is ridicoulous to me. sorry

Barefoot has no protection against sharp objects? Because, uh, we evolved to wear shoes? No. If you go barefoot a few times a week for a few months, you will get to the point that pretty much most "sharp objects" do nothing. The world is not filled with upwards pointing shards of glass, razer blades, and the like. If where you live is, well, that's your issue, but that's not true here. Large enough pieces of glass to injure me are extremely easy to see.

You know the most dangerous place to be barefoot? The beach. You know, where people go barefoot all the time without thinking about it. Not only can glass/needles/razer blades/whatever be hidden, they can point upwards. Yet rarely do we hear of people being mutilated by objects on the beach, even when the people going barefoot there usually only are barefoot there and only a few times a month. Clearly, "sharp things" is more an excuse to put up with what you know is wrong than an actual reason.

Which gets to the real issue. You shouldn't just wring your hands and go "oh well, can't win" at things like NSNSNS policies. Those exist because of myths, not reasons, and giving in to them makes you as bad as the people enforcing them, because you know that they are not true, when the business might not. Even the supposed social stigma against bare feet is itself unfounded so horribly obviously by the fact people wear flipflops without concern.

It might be hard, and I know I still am forced to put on shoes often, but don't give into the idea you have to comply. False claims need to be challenged. It is the duty of every intelligent person to question assertions, especially when they are being used to justify forcing people to behave a certain way.

Biggest problem I have ever had with flip flips/sandals is catching the sole on something. I don't own a pair of flip flops and don't expect to. I'm happy with my various models of VFF (though looking forward to more insulated and water resistant ones).
I could go on about the other bits but I do think flip flops could be dangerous but it depends on the person.
My 2 cents, AndyB, NH.

I grew up in the Philippines and we wore flip-flops everywhere, even when playing basketball. Someone even wrote a book about this: http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Rims-Flip-Flops-Philippines-Basketball/dp/0451229991

I personally don't like flip-flops. I never really have, for some reason I can't find one that is comfortable. But I do wear huarraches and I love them, still can't figure that one out. I don't really think that flip-flops are detrimental to ones health. But you can trip in the pretty easily. And that dude in the article that said humans aren't meant to walk on man made surfaces like pavement and asphalt, and that they are bad for your feet seems dumb to me. I have walked on pavement barefoot and unless it is 100 degrees outside it is fine. The WORST surface I have found to walk on barefoot is natural stuff like rocks in the mountains and riverbeds. And believe it or not grass pastures are pretty harsh on the feet, some of those grass shoots you could use as a weapon because of how stiff they are. Try stepping on one of those barefoot. Makes you wonder how humans made it as far as we did without shoes. Our feet must be tougher than we think. Basically I don't agree with the artcle.

@ Bakaiya: dunno where you live, but I live in Boston' and work a professional job. Barefoot is not practical. You can talk about what should be and what might be, but that's the reality of the world I live in.

And I don't agree with you about sharp things. There's broken glass and other debris on the street pretty regularly in cities. A piece of glass does not have to be large to injure you - even a small one can leave a bad cut. Glass is nasty stuff.

I love minimal shoes and am a big fan of the theories behind them, but IMO advocating full barefoot in the modern world is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Unrealistic because it's not going to be accepted and unnecessary because even if society didn't care, i'd rather wear a minimal shoe. The protection from weather, sharp stuff, and gross stuff is well worth whatever I'm giving up -- and again, if we're talking about a vff style shoe, I'm not quite sure what it is that I'm giving up anyway.

"These days I tend to avoid footwear that gets in the way of natural bio-mechanics."

I'm stealing that. This matches my current view on footwear, and states it more succinctly than I've been able to.

Another view I currently hold is, footwear are tools. Some tools are better than others. In some cases, flip flops are a better tool than the typical "supportive, toe-constricting, heel-elevating mainstream/traditional footwear". Some cases they're not. Flip flops "get in the way of natural bio-mechanics" more than bare feet, less than shoes, but they often present a tripping hazard, and don't provide as much sure-footedness as shoes or bare feet. In cases where sure-footedness is desired, I will opt for bare feet or shoes. For example, I will mow my yard barefoot, or in shoes, but not in flip flops.

I've almost completely retired my flip flops in favor of my huaraches, which I consider superior to flip flops in almost every situation (except public acceptance).

But in general, for day-to-day walking on concrete, asphalt, grass, gravel, carpet, etc.... I will agree with you that flip flops are better than shoes, but still not as good as bare feet.

I ruined so many pair of flip-flops in my youth. I wore them a lot, when not barefoot. I never had the cheap sandals as depicted in the post, but I had a lot of foam bottomed, fabric strapped sandals. I would have blow outs or have the straps pull out of the foam. I do not think they were at all harmful to me. Ideal? No, but certainly not harmful. The only instances where hard might have occurred was the occasion turned ankle from having a strap blow out. That was minor temporary discomfort, not long term damage. I agree that flip-flops, or any shoes for that matter, are not barefoot. I also agree that there are times when barefoot is not socially acceptable, like it or not. I am not at all surprised that podiatrists are attacking flip-flops. They have been attacking VFFs for years and flip flops are far more mainstream and socially acceptable the VFFs. If you ask most podiatrists, everyone needs a heavily padded, clunky shoe with an orthodic in it, because apparently no one has correct feet.

Sorry, but the claims about broken glass are still false. I walk barefoot often and have walked on small pieces of glass several times totally uninjured. No, "even a small one can leave a bad cut" is not true. You didn't even address the issue of beaches, which I find a pretty serious issue with claims about glass being a serious danger.

You obviously wouldn't know, though, if you don't go barefoot - I do, so, please stop the misinformation. It hurts people to whom the biggest issue is that sort of misinformation being used against them.

How would you feel if people wanted to ban your minimalist shoes for not being enough protection? Probably, not very happy. That's how people like me feel. Please respect the decisions and goals of people like me and stop propagating lies. There really isn't that much difference between our situations.

If you don't have a problem with broken glass, count yourself lucky! But please respect that others do, especially if they're not usually going barefoot.

Nobody wants to deny you your right to go barefoot if that's what you chose, either. But this place - Birthdayshoes.com in general, and this post in particular - is a place for discussion and talk. If you're not interested in that and if you cannot deal with others expressing different opinions, seeing things from a different angle or making different decisions, you may want to reconsider what you're doing here, and why.

I used to be a big fan of flip-flop sandals. I wore them all summer, every summer growing up and on into my adulthood until recently. My complaints with flip-flops have nothing to do with what Justin has covered or from what I've read of the comments thus far. The reason I stopped wearing flip-flops for the most part is that I'm more likely to trip or stub a toe while walking in them, especially when I try to run in them (it happens on occasion when you find yourself having to hurry somewhere). I also tend to trip up in them whilst walking backwards, i.e. when helping move furniture! So yes, I admit, I probably shouldn't be wearing flip flops when I'm doing household chores or am in a hurry to get somewhere, but that's life; you often find yourself in a situation and must do what you have to do with what you have! :) I also feel like this walking motion with the flip-flops isn't very "natural." Not a big complaint in that department as I don't think it's really caused me any grief, but just another corroborating observation based on the comments I've read here. So for me I guess what I'm saying is that I don't feel like flip-flops are the "safest" of footwear for everyday, every circumstance wear (at least for me). They are incredibly popular though so to each their own; I prefer a sandal that has a heel strap and no strap between the toes! Right now I'm really liking the Unshoes Pah Tempe I reviewed some time ago; still going strong!

@ Bakaiya: I second what Derpy said. I'm not sure why you're making this so personal or acting like I'm trying to deprive you of your constitutional rights or something.

I'm not "propagating lies" -- I'm offering a perspective that's different from yours. In my opinion, going totally barefoot is neither safe nor practical in urban environments. (I'm not sure what you want me to say about beaches, as that really has nothing to do with what I'm talking about, which is going barefoot in cities). If you've had a good experience being barefoot in urban settings then more power to you. But don't assume that your experience proves your point in some global sense. It means that it works for you. And that's great. But to say things like it's untrue that a small piece of glass can leave a bad cut is ridiculous. Yes, it can. I've seen it.

I don't think the claim it is dangerous is universally true, nor relevant, and yet it is always used against barefooters. My point is that if you do not want to go barefoot, fine, I have no intention to make you: but don't go around telling people it is dangerous when you do not even do it. That kind of thing is used against us who do want to go barefoot constantly. It is even worse when it comes from people on a site like this. I am sorry, but I have to take it personally whenever someone is repeating something untrue that affects me personally to such a degree.

It's not a difference of opinion: it's people making hurtful claims without proper basis or consideration for others. Again, you would not like it if people forbade you to wear minimalist shoes because they were too "dangerous," and we already know this happens: don't give people an excuse to do that to others. It's just not polite or sensible. Even if you have no intention to go barefoot, it very well might end up hitting you one of these days when you get thrown out of somewhere for your minimalist shoes. Then you'll know how we feel and why I take this kind of thing personally.

@ Bakaiya: It baffles me that you can think it's "untrue" that glass can cut bare feet, but I can see that this is an ideology in which you're heavily invested, so I'm going to end this conversation here, as it's clearly not going anywhere productive. Safe barefooting and happy trails.

Bakaiya, I didn't read all the comments but had read the post (awhile back). I thought any questions were whether flip-flops could be dangerous, not whether barefoot is dangerous. maybe I missed something. And frankly, I wear VFF all the time and we also get people who are not open minded wanting to ban them because they offer no protection (if I drop a table on my foot there is no difference if I'm wearing a sneaker or a VFF shoe). So I kind of understand.
I ride motorcycles and am told all the time by (what I consider to be) ignorant people that I am dangerous, going to get killed, how could I do something so dangerous? I hear that all the time and I wear more protective gear than most. Don't worry. I follow Rule #1: People Suck (okay, tongue in cheek, not entirely serious there).
Enjoy your barefooting! Cheers, AndyB, NH.
PS I don't like flip flops because I tend to trip in them. Too floppy for me but that is me.

Try the Vivobarefoot Ultra Pure. Other than requiring take one hand to put on (elastic laces), they are just as convenient and comfortable as flip-flops and have none of the drawbacks. Only potential problem is $50 price.

I've never worn flip-flops in my whole life because they also seemed so awkward with the pinching motion. Some people think they can run well in them, but they obviously can't use healthy biomechanics and they are just ignorant of the whole topic. I'm barefoot 95% of the time and otherwise I wear invisible shoes huaraches, which have been my exclusive footwear for almost two years.

Definitely they're cheap so you see them in the tropics like the Caribbean & Africa a lot.

In some places like Japan, China, etc. people have a habit of removing their shoes when they're at home and put on house slippers. Flip-flops are often worn as slippers. Wearing shoes that cover your feet all day is not good. You need to let your feet breath once in a while. They're good alternatives to wearing sandals.

Flip-flop sandals are among my favorite shoes to wear. I wear flip-flops almost all the time from Early March to Mid to late November. I also love wearing my mid to high heel sandals for dates and formal events. I only wear sneakers for exercising or walkling long distances. Closed toe shoes/heels I don't care for because I find them constricting on my feet. My only winter shoe is sneakers. Boots/Uggs/Closed Toe heels are not for me. I like to show off my painted toe nails/pedicure as much as possible.

Nasty, horrible, utterly disgusting and painful excuses for footwear. I refuse to wear them, will not buy them for my children, and fail to see the appeal in them as most people that wear them have ugly or deformed feet. When I wear real sandals or something that is more open than my sneakers, it has to have straps that go over my feet and around the lower part of my leg. Not crazy about getting blisters between my toes. You can't truly run in them, and they are prone to breaking and causing injuries. Does anyone remember the reports of people having allergic reactions to ones made in China, causing skin problems.

In my opinion, flip-flops are very minimalist, and are the closest you can be to being completely barefoot while still being allowed to enter a restaurant. My cheap rubber flip-flops actually feel much more barefoot to me than my pair of KSOs. I have also found that the toe gripping problem exists only if the flip-flops are too loose for you, or if you strike the ground really hard with your heels while walking in them. If your pair of flip-flops fit snugly enough, and you walk properly in them, it is just like being completely barefoot.

You see, the reason why many people have to scrunch their toes to hold on to their flip-flops is because their flip-flops are too loose. Flip-flops secure your foot to the sole by tightly hugging the top of your foot with the straps. If the flip-flops are relatively high-quality and are just the right size, they can be one of the most barefoot minimalist footwear you can ever wear.

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